Over at the National Magazine Awards, we’re celebrating the last long weekend of summer by looking back at the best of the past 10 years in Canadian magazines. We’ve rounded up the smash reels that opened each gala, and we’re inviting you to reminisce with us. Sit back—ideally with a cold, summer beverage—enjoy these short, punchy videos, and vote for your favourite over on Twitter.
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Regrettably, we are missing the smash reel from the 33rd annual NMAs.
Follow the National Magazine Awards on Twitter, and visit us on Facebook. The call for entries for the 43rd annual awards will open on December 1, 2019.
Our team is proud to reveal the Canadian creators who won Gold and Silver medals at this year’s National Magazine Awards. The gala was held at the Arcadian Court in Toronto, and was hosted by NMA-winner Omar Mouallem.
MAGAZINE GRAND PRIX
Nouveau Projet took home the prestigious, 2019 Magazine Grand Prix award. A six-time consecutive finalist in this category, Nouveau Projet had also won this coveted title in 2014. The judges cited the magazine’s risk-taking spirit and impressive scope: “Consistently ambitious, Nouveau Projet brings a fresh look and stimulating content to its examination of francophone society. Their team has crafted a great system that allows for clarity and variety, and they masterfully orchestrate all the things that make magazines a pleasure to read.”
BEST MAGAZINE AWARDS
In each of the four Best Magazine Divisions, judges selected one gold winner from the three nominees. The gold winners are:
Best Magazine: News, Business, General Interest
GOLD: Nouveau Projet HONOURABLE MENTION: The Walrus, Toronto Life
Best Magazine: Special Interest
GOLD: Up Here Magazine HONOURABLE MENTION: Fete Chinoise, U of T Medicine
Best Magazine: Service & Lifestyle
GOLD: Cottage Life HONOURABLE MENTION: Elle Canada, FASHION Magazine
Best Magazine: Art, Literary, & Culture
GOLD: Esse arts + opinion HONOURABLE MENTION: Canadian Art, The Site Magazine
BEST NEW MAGAZINE WRITER
From four talented, promising nominees, Max Binks-Collier was awarded the Best New Magazine Writer title for “Distant Relatives,” published in Maisonneuve. The jury had this to say of Max’s work:
““Distant Relatives” is a suspenseful, in-depth exploration of medical malpractice and the institutional complicity that allowed it to happen. With his thoughtful interviews and extensive historical research, Binks-Collier pulls readers in and keeps them hooked all the way through.”
Honourable Mention went to Jennifer Thornhill Verma (Maisonneuve), Anais Granofsky (Toronto Life), and Mugoli Samba (The United Church Observer).
EDITOR GRAND PRIX
For the second year, the Foundation presented the Editor Grand Prix award to a senior-level editor who demonstrated a high degree of excellence, making an outstanding impact on their magazine. Alison Uncles of Maclean’s was the proud recipient of this year’s award.
PUBLISHER GRAND PRIX
The Publisher Grand Prix award recognizes a publisher whose brand best delivers on their editorial mandate through numerous platforms. From the three nominees—Canadian Geographic, Inuit Art Quarterly, and Toronto Life—Ken Hunt publisher of Toronto Life received gold. In their discussion, the jury put it thusly: if you live in Toronto, you know Toronto Life, and as Toronto is growing, Toronto Life is growing with it.
FOUNDATION AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
Linda Spalding—an acclaimed writer and a longtime editor of the literary journal Brick—was presented with the 2019 Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement. At the gala, she was introduced by Laurie D. Graham, who remarked that “Linda provides a model of how to do this publishing work with emotion as well as intellect. She sprouted in Brick the seriousness and irreverence that has come to be the magazine’s guiding ethos.”
Top-winning magazines include:
Magazines winning one Gold Medal include: Air Canada enRoute, BESIDE, esse arts + opinions, LSTW, Prairie Fire, Québec Science, Ryerson University Magazine, Sharp, Taddle Creek, Title Magazine, and Up Here Magazine.
Magazines winning one Silver Medal include: Geist, Report on Business Magazine, The Malahat Review, The Maritime Edit, The Site Magazine, Toronto Life Stylebook, and University of Toronto Magazine.
Highlights of the 42nd annual NMAs
Mathieu Lachapelle of Dînette Magazine captured three awards for his photography work, winning Silver for Portrait Photography and winning both Gold and Silver in Lifestyle Photography.
Anthony Oliveira is a 2019 two-time Gold winner in Long Form Feature Writing and Essay, for his piece “Death in the Village” published in Hazlitt.
The Walrus swept the Illustration (including spot and photo illustration) category: “The End of an Empire” by Sébastien Thibault won silver, while “Bad Code” by Cristian Fowlie took Gold.
Writing & Visual Awards
In the 17 creator-focused categories, Gold winners received a $1000 cash prize. The gold and silver medalists are:
Long-Form Feature Writing
GOLD: Anthony Oliveira, “Death in the Village,” Hazlitt GOLD: Brett Popplewell, “Final Edition,” The Walrus
Feature Writing
GOLD: Omar Mouallem, “It’s the End of the World as We Know It,” Title Magazine SILVER: Emily Landau, “I, Tanya,” Toronto Life Stylebook
Short Feature Writing
GOLD: Christopher DiRaddo, “Austin or Bust,” Air Canada enRoute SILVER: Matt Williams, “Jeremy Dutcher’s Gift for His People,” The Maritime Edit
Columns
GOLD: Kamal Al-Solaylee, “Points of Departure,” Sharp SILVER: Lisa Bird-Wilson, “Clowns, Cakes, Canoes: This is Canada?” Geist
Essays
GOLD: Anthony Oliveira, “Death in the Village,” Hazlitt SILVER: Larissa Diakiw, “Secrets Are a Captive Country,” Hazlitt
Investigative Reporting
GOLD: Alison Motluk, “Hallway Health Care,” Toronto Life SILVER: Martin Patriquin, “Warning Signs,” The Walrus
Fiction
GOLD: RJ Edwards, “Loose Time,” Taddle Creek SILVER: Christine Higdon, “A Prayer for Ursula in Open D,” The Malahat Review
Lifestyle Photography
GOLD: Mathieu Lachapelle, “La brume de l’Oregon,” Dînette magazine SILVER: Mathieu Lachapelle, “Au cœur des nuages,” Dînette magazine
Personal Journalism
GOLD: Gwen Benaway, “A Body Like a Home,” Hazlitt SILVER: Meaghan Rondeau, “Half-Thing,” The New Quarterly
Poetry
GOLD: Ben Ladouceur, “The Green Carnation,” Prairie Fire SILVER: Terence Young, “The Bear,” The New Quarterly
Profiles
GOLD: Katrina Onstad, “Mr. Robot,” Toronto Life SILVER: Malcolm Johnston, “Born to Run,” Toronto Life
Service Journalism
GOLD: Mélissa Guillemette, “Où vont les déchets électroniques ?,” Québec Science SILVER: Mark Pupo, “Where to Eat 2018,” Toronto Life
GOLD: Cristian Fowlie, “Bad Code,” The Walrus SILVER: Sébastien Thibault, “The End of an Empire,” The Walrus
Portrait Photography
GOLD: Grant Harder, “Tremors,” Maisonneuve SILVER: Mathieu Lachapelle, “Dompter le roc,” Dînette magazine
Photo Essay & Photojournalism
GOLD: Kamil Bialous, “That Which Does Not Burn,” Cottage Life SILVER: Stephen J. Thorne, “Citizens of War,” Legion Magazine
One of a Kind Storytelling
GOLD: Michael Friscolanti, Jason Markusoff, and Kyle Edwards, “ ‘It was the last time we saw him:’ An oral history of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash,” Maclean’s SILVER: Martin Patenaude-Monette (Martin PM), “Le bonheur en transition,” Nouveau Projet
Editorial Awards
Art Direction of a Single Article
GOLD: Studio Wyse, “Keeping Memories Alive,” Ryerson University Magazine SILVER: Carey van der Zalm,“Body, Space & Object,” The Site Magazine
Best Editorial Package
GOLD: “WWI Commemorative Issue,” Maclean’s SILVER: “Autumn 2018: The Cities We Need,” University of Toronto Magazine
Art Direction Grand Prix
GOLD: Eliane Cadieux, “Issue 05: What does our future with nature hold? | Numéro 05 : Quel avenir sommes-nous en train de bâtir ?” BESIDE SILVER: Jean-François Proulx,Balistique, “Nouveau Projet 13,” Nouveau Projet
Editor Grand Prix
GOLD: Alison Uncles, Maclean’s
Cover Grand Prix
GOLD: “Pay equity,” Maclean’s SILVER: “Blood in the Air,” Report on Business
Issue Grand Prix
GOLD: lstw issue #3, lstw SILVER: Nouveau Projet 14, Nouveau Projet
We also owe a huge thank you to this year’s judges, who volunteered their time and expertise, evaluating the hundreds of entries submitted to this year’s competition.
Congratulations to all of the winners of the 42nd annual National Magazine awards! Follow us on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for updates on next year’s call for entries.
The National Magazine Awards Foundation (NMAF) has presented the winners of the 40th anniversary National Magazine Awards at a gala this evening in Toronto at the Arcadian Court. Nearly 300 of Canada’s top magazine writers, artists, editors, art directors, publishers, and other guests representing 75 nominated magazines gathered to recognize and celebrate excellence in the content and creation of Canadian magazines in 2016. Gold and Silver medals were presented in 25 categories recognizing Canada’s best in magazine writing, art, and design.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered a welcome message to the audience via video, congratulating the nominees and winners and praising the important work of Canada’s magazine creators.
The Foundation presented Gold and Silver Medal awards in 25 categories at a ceremony co-hosted by Kim Pittaway, Michael de Pencier, and D.B. Scott—three of Canada’s most respected journalists and publishers, and all former winners of the Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement. Indigenous writer and Gold Medalist in the Essays category, Alicia Elliott, delivered the keynote address, urging all Canadian magazine creators and publishers to recognize their role in educating and informing the public about the complex social and cultural issues of our time, including empowering Indigenous voices and perspectives in the media. Penny Caldwell, publisher and vice-president of Cottage Life Media, was presented with the 2017 Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement, the highest individual honour in the Canadian magazine industry, which recognizes an individual’s innovation and creativity through contributions to the magazine industry.
For a complete list of winners, see below or download the PDF list.
MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
Canada’s 2017 Magazine of the Year is Cottage Life. The award for magazine of the year goes to the publication that most consistently engages, surprises, and serves the needs of its readers. The award is judged according to four criteria—overall quality, impact, innovation, and brand awareness—and success relative to the magazine’s editorial mandate.
Honourable Mention for Magazine of the Year went to Explore,Nouveau Projet, Ricardo, and The Kit Compact.
With a clear and creative editorial strategy that is loyal to their brand, audience, and business, Cottage Life continues to diversify its mandate, grow its readership, and excel at publishing. The magazine’s tone is perfectly playful, its stories educate and delight, and its story packaging is alluring. Cottage Life has demonstrated creativity and excellence in evolving its brand through events, shows, and multimedia—reinventing itself again and again. And throughout its evolution, the magazine itself remains fresh and fascinating.
—The National Magazine Awards Jury
INTEGRATED AWARDS
Best Magazine Cover GOLD MEDAL: “General Dynamics” (Report on Business) Domenic Macri, art director Gary Salewicz, editor Brennan Higginbotham, contributor
This is a beautiful execution of a well-thought-out idea, from its concept right down to the smallest detail. Report on Business’s “General Dynamics” cover is a masterful example of having graphics work harmoniously with type to create the impression of a must-read story within. It’s engaging and unexpected—the forbidden, blacked-out words suck you in immediately. A truly remarkable and successful magazine cover.
—The National Magazine Awards Jury
Best Editorial Package GOLD MEDAL: « Nordicité » (Caribou) Tania Jiménez, directrice artistique Audrey Lavoie, Véronique Leduc, Geneviève Vezina-Montplaisir, rédactrices en chef
This Editorial Package from Caribou is a delicious invitation to the table set around the concept of Nordicité, where a meal of uniquely Québécois flavour is served. On the menu are cozy stories and tasteful photography of matsutake mushrooms, maple syrup, boreal spices, and wild berries. The package has the benefit of relying almost wholly on the support of readers and presents them with a carefully thought out series of articles that complement the topic and each other—all editorially handpicked and beautifully plated for our enjoyment.
—The National Magazine Awards Jury
Best Service Editorial Package GOLD MEDAL: “Breast of Luck” (Today’s Parent) Ariel Brewster, editor Stephanie Han Kim, art director
Contributors: Vivian Rosas, Katie Dupuis, Karen Robock, Louise Gleeson, Kara Aaserud, Sasha Emmons, Kate Lunau
“Breast of Luck” from Today’s Parent epitomizes service journalism. The team approached the issue from various perspectives, offering up multiple entry points. It feels exceptionally relevant—these are the real questions people ask about breastfeeding. It’s beautifully designed, very well written, funny, informative—the practical information is hands-on and useful. Whether you read it closely or simply skim, it has something for every reader.
—The National Magazine Awards Jury
Best Words & Pictures GOLD MEDAL: “Rosemont Petite-Syrie” (Nouveau Projet) Judith Oliver, rédactrice en chef adjointe Jean-François Proulx, directeur artistique Félix Beaudry-Vigneux, auteur Maxime Roy de Roy, illustrateur
Beautifully drawn, informative, and concisely written, “Rosemont Petite-Syrie” is a powerful and graphic way to show the response of two families to the Syrian refugee crisis. The piece seamlessly weaves text and illustrations that speak to one another and the reader without seeming redundant. It’s an exemplar of the comic-book genre—and bilingual, to boot.
—The National Magazine Awards Jury
Forty years ago the NMAF set about building a coalition of institutions to form the foundation of what would become the National Magazine Awards. The goal was to create a truly national program that would recognize individual excellence in the many aspects of the magazine industry. Forty years later that legacy has endured. Tonight we have recognized the outstanding work of Canada’s magazine creators. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners—you have truly inspired the future of great journalism in this country. —Nino Di Cara, President, NMAF
Long-Form Feature Writing GOLD MEDAL “Growing Up Trans” The Walrus Mary Rogan, writer Carmine Starnino, handling editor SILVER MEDAL “Canadian Mining’s Dark Heart” The Walrus Richard Poplak, writer Carmine Starnino, handling editor
Feature Writing GOLD MEDAL « Les exilés de l’enfer » L’actualité Anne-Marie Luca, auteure Ginette Haché, rédactrice-réviseure SILVER MEDAL “Big Lonely Doug” The Walrus Harley Rustad, writer Carmine Starnino, handling editor
Columns GOLD MEDAL « Économie » L’actualité Pierre Fortin, auteur Josée Désaulniers, Karine Picard, Lucie Daigle, rédactrices-réviseures SILVER MEDAL “Just Sayin’” Atlantic Business Magazine Stephen Kimber, writer Dawn Chafe, handling editor
Essays GOLD MEDAL “A Mind Spread Out on the Ground” The Malahat Review Alicia Elliott, writer John Barton, handling editor SILVER MEDAL “A Poet Self-Destructs” The Walrus Don Gillmor, writer Katherine Laidlaw, handling editor
Investigative Reporting GOLD MEDAL “The Last Days of Target” Canadian Business Joe Castaldo, writer James Cowan, handling editor SILVER MEDAL “Justice Is Not Blind” Maclean’s Nancy Macdonald, writer Colin Campbell, handling editor
One of a Kind GOLD MEDAL “The Verdict” The Walrus Katherine Laidlaw, writer Emily M. Keeler, handling editor SILVER MEDAL “The David Foster Wallace Disease” Hazlitt Sasha Chapin, writer Haley Cullingham, handling editor
Personal Journalism GOLD MEDAL “The Burn” Prairie Fire Benjamin Hertwig, writer Andris Taskans, handling editor SILVER MEDAL “By The Time You Read This I’ll Be Dead” Toronto Life John Hofsess, writer Emily Landau, handling editor Gary Ross, contributor
Profiles GOLD MEDAL “This is How I’m Going to Die” Maclean’s Nancy Macdonald, writer Colin Campbell, handling editor SILVER MEDAL “The Artist of the Deal” Report on Business Max Fawcett, writer Ted Mumford, handling editor
Art Direction of an Entire Issue GOLD MEDAL “Issue 22: Secrets” SAD Mag Pamela Rounis, art director Sara Harowitz, editor Katie Stewart, Michelle Reid Cyca, contributors SILVER MEDAL “87: Le Vivant / The Living” esse Arts + Opinions Studio FEED, direction artistique Sylvette Babin, rédactrice en chef
Art Direction of a Single Article GOLD MEDAL « Le politique est personnel » Nouveau Projet Ping Pong Ping, direction artistique Miriam Fahmy, rédactrice en chef SILVER MEDAL “Give Peas a Chance” Today’s Parent Mandy Milks, art director Lauren Ferranti-Ballem, editor Anthony Swaneveld, illustrator Roberto Caruso, photographer
Illustration GOLD MEDAL « Une vie sexuelle pour les prêtres ? Pourquoi pas ? » L’actualité Gérard Dubois, illustrateur Jocelyne Fournel, directrice artistique SILVER MEDAL “Move or Improve?” MoneySense Steven P. Hughes, illustrator John Montgomery, art director
Photojournalism & Photo Essay GOLD MEDAL “South of Buck Creek” Geist Terence Byrnes, photographer Syd Danger, art director AnnMarie MacKinnon, Michal Kozlowski, editors SILVER MEDAL “Canada’s Oldest Profession” The Walrus Tyler Anderson, photographer Brian Morgan, art director Jonathan Kay, editor Conrad Black, text
Portrait Photography GOLD MEDAL “Marina Abramovic” Corduroy Magazine Peter Ash Lee, photographer & art director Tim Chan, editor SILVER MEDAL “Love Your Body” NOW Magazine Tanja-Tiziana, photographer Troy Beyer, art director Susan G. Cole, editor Taylor Savage, hair & makeup
Lifestyle Photography GOLD MEDAL “Different Strokes” Globe Style Advisor Riley Stewart, photographer Benjamin MacDonald, art director Andrew Sardone, editor Odessa Paloma Parker, fashion editor, stylist Vanessa Jarman, makeup / hair stylist Wendy Rorong, manicurist James Reiger, model, NEXT Models Canada SILVER MEDAL “Tan Lines” Globe Style Advisor Renata Kaveh, photographer Benjamin MacDonald, art director Andrew Sardone, editor Odessa Paloma Parker, fashion editor, stylist Robert Weir, grooming Connor, model, Elmer Olsen Model Management
INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
Writer Nancy Macdonald won two awards: A Gold Medal in Profiles for “This is How I’m Going to Die” (Maclean’s), about the Leviathan II disaster, and a Silver Medal in Investigative Reporting for “Justice Is Not Blind” (Maclean’s), about the bias against Indigenous Canadians in the judicial system. Mary Rogan won the first NMA Gold Medal for Long-Form Feature Writing, for her story “Growing Up Trans” (The Walrus). It’s Rogan’s third National Magazine Award and first since 1999.
Art director Domenic Macri of Report on Business won the Gold Medal for Best Magazine Cover (“General Dynamics”), his and the magazine’s fifth gold medal in this category since 2006. Pierre Fortin (L’actualité) won the Gold Medal in Columns, for his Québec « Économie » coverage. This is Fortin’s fourth gold medal in Columns since 2003.
Indigenous poet Selina Boan won the Gold Medal in Poetry for a suite of poems in The New Quarterly, including “Meet Cree: A Practical Guide to the Cree Language.” This is her first National Magazine Award. Richard Kelly Kemick won the Gold Medal in Fiction for “The Unitarian Church’s Annual Young Writer’s Short Story Competition” (The New Quarterly), his second NMA after winning gold last year in One of a Kind. Kemick also received an Honourable Mention in Fiction and in One of a Kind this year.
Indigenous writer Alicia Elliott won the Gold Medal in Essays for “A Mind Spread Out on the Ground” (The Malahat Review). Don Gillmor won his twelfth National Magazine Award since 1997, a Silver Medal in Essays for “A Poet Self-Destructs” (The Walrus). Joe Castaldo won the Gold Medal in Investigative Reporting for “The Last Days of Target” (Canadian Business). He won the Silver Medal in the same category in 2015.
In Personal Journalism, Edmonton writer and visual artist Benjamin Hertwig won the Gold Medal for “The Burn” (Prairie Fire). The story of the late John Hofsess, “By The Time You Read This I’ll Be Dead” (Toronto Life), about assisted dying and preparing to take his own life, won the Silver Medal.
Photographer and art director Peter Ash Lee won the Gold Medal in Portrait Photography (“Marina Abramovic” Corduroy), his fourth National Magazine Award. Gérard DuBois won the Gold Medal in Illustration, for « Une vie sexuelle pour les prêtres ? Pourquoi pas ? ». It is DuBois’ fourth National Magazine Award and first since 2013. Andrew Braithwaite won the Gold Medal in Service Journalism for “Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2016” (Air Canada enRoute), marking the second consecutive year he and the magazine have won gold for their annual feature on Canada’s newest culinary hotspots. Ray Ford won his eighth National Magazine Award since 2000 with a Silver Medal in Short Feature Writing for “The Cutting Edge” (ON Nature).
MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHTS
L’actualité led all magazines with 3 Gold Medals, winning the top prize in Feature Writing, Columns, and Illustration. The Walrus led all magazines with 6 awards (2 Gold Medals and 4 Silver Medals). This is the tenth time in the magazine’s history that The Walrus has won the most total awards at the NMAs. Report on Business won 3 awards, including a Gold Medal for Best Magazine Cover (“General Dynamics”) and Silver Medals in Best Service Editorial Package and in Profiles. The New Quarterly won the Gold Medal in Fiction and in Poetry, marking the second time that the Waterloo, Ontario literary magazine has swept both awards (also doing so in 2003 at the 25th anniversary National Magazine Award). NOW Magazine’s “Love Your Body” issue was a double winner, taking the Silver Medal in Portrait Photography and the Silver Medal in Best Words & Pictures. Globe Style Advisor swept the Gold and Silver Medals in the category Lifestyle Photography. Nouveau Projet won 2 Gold Medals, in Art Direction of a Single Magazine Article (« Le politique est personnel ») and in Words & Pictures (“Rosemont Petite-Syrie”). Nouveau Projet won Magazine of the Year in 2015 and was a finalist this year.
The online magazine Hazlitt won 2 Silver Medals, in Fiction and in One of a Kind. Today’s Parent won 2 medals: Gold in Best Service Editorial Package (“Breast of Luck”) and Silver in Art Direction of a Single Magazine Article (“Give Peas a Chance”).
7 magazines won a National Magazine Award for the first time: Atlantic Business Magazine; Caribou; esse Arts + Opinions; Hakai Magazine; Jeu, Revue de théâtre; Listed; and SAD Mag. Magazines winning 1 Gold Medal: Air Canada enRoute; Caribou; Corduroy; Cottage Life; Geist; Hakai Magazine; Jeu, Revue de théâtre; The Malahat Review; Prairie Fire; Precedent Magazines winning 1 Silver Medal: Atlantic Business Magazine; Châtelaine; esse Arts + Opinions; Listed; MoneySense; New Trail; ON Nature; PRISM International; Toronto Life.
The 40th anniversary National Magazine Awards gala, 26 May 2017, Arcadian Court, Toronto (Photo by Steven Goetz for the NMAF)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered a welcome message to the audience via video, congratulating the nominees and winners and praising the important work of Canada’s magazine creators.
Toronto Mayor John Tory also addressed the gathering via video to offer his congratulations to the nominees and winners and offer his support for Canadian magazine creators. Alicia Elliott delivered the keynote address. Alicia is a Tuscarora writer from Six Nations, currently living in Brantford, Ontario. Her writing has most recently been published by CBC Arts, Room, Grain, The New Quarterly and The Malahat Review. Later in the evening she won the Gold Medal in Essays for “A Mind Spread Out on the Ground” (The Malahat Review).
For the 40th anniversary National Magazine Awards, the NAMF welcomed a number of its former winners of the Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement, led by Kim Pittaway, Michael de Pencier, and D.B. Scott, who co-hosted the event.
Also attending and presenting awards as former winners of the Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement: James Ireland, Sally Armstrong, Ken Rodmell, Lynn Cunningham, Stephen Trumper, Al Zikovitz, and Paul Jones.
Other special guest presenters included award-winning illustrator Min Gyo Chung, award-winning writers Hon Lu and Desmond Cole, award-winning art director Gilbert Li, and former NMAF president Arjun Basu.
ABOUT THE 40th ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL MAGAZINE AWARDS
Nearly 300 members of the Canadian magazine industry—publishers, editors, art directors, writers, photographers, illustrators, circulators and more—joined esteemed sponsors and other guests at the Arcadian Court for the 40th anniversary National Magazine Awards gala.
This year, 197 Canadian magazines from coast to coast to coast—English and French, print and digital—entered the best of their editorial and design to the National Magazine Awards, submitting the work of more than 2000 writers, editors, photographers, illustrators, art directors and other creators. The NMAF’s 112 volunteer judges nominated a total of 202 submissions from 75 different Canadian magazines for awards in 25 written, visual, integrated and special categories.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The NMAF gratefully acknowledges the support of the Government of Canada, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Ontario Media Development Corporation.
The NMAF gratefully acknowledges the support of its sponsors and table patrons:
Access Copyright,
Alberta Magazine Publishers Association,
Bookmark,
Canadian Media Guild,
Content Writers Group,
CDS Global,
CNW, a Cision Company,
ExpertWomen.ca,
Goetz Storytelling,
Impresa Communications,
Oliver & Bonacini,
Ricardo Media,
Rolland Enterprises,
Ryerson University School of Journalism,
Studio Wyse,
TC Transcontinental Printing,
University of King’s College School of Journalism,
Very Good Studios, and
Vividata.
The NMAF gratefully acknowledges its 112 Judges who volunteered their time and their expertise to serve on the juries for the 40th anniversary National Magazine Awards.
ABOUT THE NMAF
A charitable foundation, the NMAF’s mandate is to recognize and promote excellence in content creation of Canadian print and digital publications through an annual program of awards and national publicity efforts.
The Foundation produces two distinct and bilingual award programs: the National Magazine Awards and the Digital Publishing Awards. Throughout the year, the Foundation undertakes various group marketing initiatives and professional development events. Download the entire list [PDF] of nominees and winners.
Desmond Cole accepts the award for Best New Magazine Writer to a standing ovation at the 2016 National Magazine Awards in Toronto (Photo: Steven Goetz / National Magazine Awards Foundation)
In 2015 Desmond Cole’s essay “The Skin I’m In” (published in Toronto Life) made headlines across the country and became a touchstone for contemporary debates about race relations, privilege and law enforcement policy in Canada. Desmond Cole admitted to readers, “I was nine years old the first time I got stopped by police. Since then, I’ve been interrogated more than 50 times— all because of the colour of my skin.”
At the 2016 National Magazine Awards, Desmond Cole’s story won 3 awards–for Personal Journalism, Essays, and Best New Magazine Writer.
In an intimate portrait of systemic discrimination and how it erodes one’s sense of self, Cole has written in “The Skin I’m In” a powerful exposé of Canada’s justice system with clarity and integrity, holding up a mirror to readers of any ethnicity and making them rue what they see. – National Magazine Awards jury
Since then, he’s become a columnist for the Toronto Star, a spokesperson for Black Lives Matter and other organizations challenging police practices in Toronto, and has appeared on panels for the CBC, the Canadian Journalism Foundation, Global News, and more. His work also appears in the The Walrus, Torontoist, VICE, NOW Magazine, and Ethnic Aisle.
Tonight, the CBC airs its documentary based on Desmond’s National Magazine Award-winning story–“The Skin We’re In“–at 9pm.
For the film version of The Skin We’re In, the perspective shifts — but the intimacy of Cole’s work is not lost. His journalism is marked by his unapologetic connection to many of his subjects, which is captured poignantly throughout the film.
This week the West Coast Book Society announced the finalists for the annual BC Book Prizes, which celebrate achievement by British Columbia writers in 7 categories. Winners are announced on April 29.
3 of the 5 finalists in the Non-Fiction category are National Magazine Award winners, as well as one of the finalists in Poetry.
Mark Leiren-Young’s The Killer Whale Who Changed the World
Killer whales had always been seen as bloodthirsty sea monsters. That all changed when a young killer whale was captured off the west coast of North America and displayed to the public in 1964. Moby Doll—as the whale became known—was an instant celebrity, drawing twenty thousand visitors on the one and only day he was exhibited. He died within a few months, but his famous gentleness sparked a worldwide crusade that transformed how people understood and appreciated orcas. Because of Moby Doll, we stopped fearing “killers” and grew to love and respect “orcas.”
Mark Leiren-Young is a journalist, filmmaker, and author. The magazine article that grew into this book, “Moby Doll” (The Walrus), was a finalist for a National Magazine Award.
Deborah Campbell’s A Disappearance in Damascus
“Did I find her or did she find me?” writes Deborah Campbell in her new book, A Disappearance in Damascus(Knopf Canada), winner of the Writers’ Trust Award. Her is in reference to Ahlam, Campbell’s ‘fixer’— journalist jargon for a foreign correspondent’s interpreter or guide. An Iraqi mother and humanitarian, Ahlam is of invaluable assistance to Campbell throughout her Middle-East reportage, and when she gets taken by secret agents, the journalist, who has reported from countries including Egypt, Qatar and Russia among others, can’t help but take the blame for her disappearance. Campbell spends months in search of her friend in the perilous city.
Deborah Campbell is the winner of two National Magazine Gold Awards for her articles in The Walrus— “The Most Hated Name in News” and “Iran’s Quiet Revolution”— published in 2009 and 2006 respectively. She has written for many publications, including Harper’s, The Guardian and Foreign Policy, and has spent over a decade reporting abroad.
The Marriott Cell, by Mohamed Fahmy, with Carol Shaben
Just over one year ago, Egyptian-born Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy was awaiting bail from behind bars of an Egyptian maximum security prison. He, along with two other Al-Jazeera journalists, were sentenced to 7-10 years, accused of reporting false news, after police raided their makeshift studio in the Marriott Hotel in Cairo. According to Human Rights Watch, the trial of Fahmy was a “miscarriage of justice based on zero evidence.” Despite this, the three spent over a year in prison before making bail following a presidential pardon.
Now, finally free and back in Canada, Fahmy is an adjunct professor at UBC, and he’s just published The Marriott Cell (Random House), a book on his harrowing experience in Egypt. The book is a collaboration of efforts by Fahmy and Carol Shaben, a former NMA winner.
Carol Shaben is the winner of two National Magazine Awards for her story, “Fly at Your Own Risk” (The Walrus), about the deficiencies of Canada’s smaller aviation aircrafts and companies. She has written one other book, Into the Abyss, and lives in Vancouver.
In the poetry category, the finalists include:
poemw, by Anne Fleming
In poemw, the third finger of the left hand hits ‘w’ instead of ‘s’ and makes up a new kind of poem, the sort-of poem, the approxi-lyric, the poem that doesn’t want to claim poemness. Poemw are about daily things—graffitti, hair, sea gulls, second-hand clothes—and rarer things—dead crows, baked mice, ski accidents, Judith Butler. They’re jokes-and-not-jokes, cheeky, goofy. Tender.
Anne Fleming has been nominated for 3 National Magazine Awards, winning the award for Fiction in 2002 for her work in The New Quarterly. She has an MFA from UBC and teaches at UBC Okanagan in Kelowna. Her first book, Pool-Hopping and Other Stories, was shortlisted for the Governor-General’s Award, the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, and the Danuta Gleed Award.
Canada’s 2017 Magazine of the Year is Cottage Life. The award for magazine of the year goes to the publication that most consistently engages, surprises, and serves the needs of its readers. The award is judged according to four criteria—overall quality, impact, innovation, and brand awareness—and success relative to the magazine’s editorial mandate.
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Forty years ago the NMAF set about building a coalition of institutions to form the foundation of what would become the National Magazine Awards. The goal was to create a truly national program that would recognize individual excellence in the many aspects of the magazine industry. Forty years later that legacy has endured. Tonight we have recognized the outstanding work of Canada’s magazine creators. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners—you have truly inspired the future of great journalism in this country.
BEST NEW MAGAZINE WRITER
GOLD MEDAL
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GOLD MEDAL
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The NMAF gratefully acknowledges the support of the Government of Canada, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Ontario Media Development Corporation.
A charitable foundation, the NMAF’s mandate is to recognize and promote excellence in content creation of Canadian print and digital publications through an annual program of awards and national publicity efforts.
Killer whales had always been seen as bloodthirsty sea monsters. That all changed when a young killer whale was captured off the west coast of North America and displayed to the public in 1964. Moby Doll—as the whale became known—was an instant celebrity, drawing twenty thousand visitors on the one and only day he was exhibited. He died within a few months, but his famous gentleness sparked a worldwide crusade that transformed how people understood and appreciated orcas. Because of Moby Doll, we stopped fearing “killers” and grew to love and respect “orcas.”
“Did I find her or did she find me?” writes Deborah Campbell in her new book, 
Now, finally free and back in Canada, Fahmy is an adjunct professor at UBC, and he’s just published The Marriott Cell (Random House), a book on his harrowing experience in Egypt. The book is a collaboration of efforts by Fahmy and Carol Shaben, a former NMA winner.
In poemw, the third finger of the left hand hits ‘w’ instead of ‘s’ and makes up a new kind of poem, the sort-of poem, the approxi-lyric, the poem that doesn’t want to claim poemness. Poemw are about daily things—graffitti, hair, sea gulls, second-hand clothes—and rarer things—dead crows, baked mice, ski accidents, Judith Butler. They’re jokes-and-not-jokes, cheeky, goofy. Tender.